- [Instructor] When we're talking about major wars
- [Instructor] When we're talking about major wars

in colonial North America,
in colonial North America,

we tend to think about the American Revolution,
we tend to think about the American Revolution,

not its earlier iteration, the Seven Years' War,
not its earlier iteration, the Seven Years' War,

and I think that's a shame
and I think that's a shame

because the Seven Years' War was incredibly influential
because the Seven Years' War was incredibly influential

not only on the American Revolution,
not only on the American Revolution,

but on the complexion of the world.
but on the complexion of the world.

Thanks to the Seven Years' War,
Thanks to the Seven Years' War,

Canada became a British country,
Canada became a British country,

not a French country.
not a French country.

The Acadians moved down to Louisiana
The Acadians moved down to Louisiana

and became known as the Cajuns,
and became known as the Cajuns,

and most importantly, England became the world's
and most importantly, England became the world's

preeminent empire.
preeminent empire.

So if you've been following along this far,
So if you've been following along this far,

you may have noticed two things.
you may have noticed two things.

One, that the people who named this war
One, that the people who named this war

seem to be very bad at math
seem to be very bad at math

because 1754 to 1763
because 1754 to 1763

is nine years, not seven,
is nine years, not seven,

and that this war seems to have two names,
and that this war seems to have two names,

both the Seven Years' War
both the Seven Years' War

and the French and Indian War,
and the French and Indian War,

which is a name you perhaps have heard before.
which is a name you perhaps have heard before.

Well, lemme tackle those two oddities
Well, lemme tackle those two oddities

in reverse order.
in reverse order.

So not only does the Seven Years' War have two names,
So not only does the Seven Years' War have two names,

it has a whole number of names.
it has a whole number of names.

It's called the Seven Years' War,
It's called the Seven Years' War,

the French and Indian War,
the French and Indian War,

the War of the Conquest,
the War of the Conquest,

the Pomeranian War,
the Pomeranian War,

the Third Silesian War,
the Third Silesian War,

the Third Carnatic War.
the Third Carnatic War.

This is a war with a whole bunch of names,
This is a war with a whole bunch of names,

and the reason that it has a whole bunch of names
and the reason that it has a whole bunch of names

is that it was fought in a whole bunch of places.
is that it was fought in a whole bunch of places.

The Seven Years' War was really
The Seven Years' War was really

the first global war,
the first global war,

and we're talking 150 years before World War One.
and we're talking 150 years before World War One.

Aspects of the Seven Years' War,
Aspects of the Seven Years' War,

as you can kinda see from this map,
as you can kinda see from this map,

were fought in Europe,
were fought in Europe,

in South America, the coast of Africa,
in South America, the coast of Africa,

in India, the Philippines,
in India, the Philippines,

and of course, in North America.
and of course, in North America.

The many different names come from
The many different names come from

the many different fronts of this war,
the many different fronts of this war,

and I would say that French and Indian War
and I would say that French and Indian War

is actually the name for the North American front
is actually the name for the North American front

of this war, or theater of this war.
of this war, or theater of this war.

So there are two reasons why I think
So there are two reasons why I think

Seven Years' War is a better name
Seven Years' War is a better name

than French and Indian War.
than French and Indian War.

One is that Seven Years' War gets at the idea
One is that Seven Years' War gets at the idea

that it was not just happening in North America.
that it was not just happening in North America.

It was happening all over the world,
It was happening all over the world,

so it shows that it was a global war,
so it shows that it was a global war,

but I also think Seven Years' War is a better name
but I also think Seven Years' War is a better name

than French and Indian War
than French and Indian War

because I think French and Indian War
because I think French and Indian War

is kind of confusing because you would think
is kind of confusing because you would think

that it means that the principal parties
that it means that the principal parties

in this war were the English
in this war were the English

versus the French and the Indians,
versus the French and the Indians,

when in fact it was the English
when in fact it was the English

and their Indian allies versus the French
and their Indian allies versus the French

and their Indian allies.
and their Indian allies.

Native Americans fought on both sides of this conflict,
Native Americans fought on both sides of this conflict,

so rather than the English and Indian
so rather than the English and Indian

versus French and Indian War,
versus French and Indian War,

let's go with the shorter Seven Years' War,
let's go with the shorter Seven Years' War,

which brings us back to our awkward date range.
which brings us back to our awkward date range.

So the reason that it's called the Seven Years' War
So the reason that it's called the Seven Years' War

is because the English didn't actually declare war
is because the English didn't actually declare war

on the French until 1756.
on the French until 1756.

So even though fighting started a little bit earlier
So even though fighting started a little bit earlier

in North America,
in North America,

the true range of dates, at least in legal terms,
the true range of dates, at least in legal terms,

is from 1756 to 1763,
is from 1756 to 1763,

or seven years.
or seven years.

It's a complicated name for a complicated war,
It's a complicated name for a complicated war,

but really what it came down to
but really what it came down to

was England and France
was England and France

duking it out over who was going to be
duking it out over who was going to be

the supreme imperial power in the world,
the supreme imperial power in the world,

and they were concerned about who was going to have
and they were concerned about who was going to have

the most territory
the most territory

in the world,
in the world,

therefore, their concern over who was going
therefore, their concern over who was going

to control North America
to control North America

and their competing claims here,
and their competing claims here,

and also access to trade.
and also access to trade.

So who was going to be able to trade with North Americans?
So who was going to be able to trade with North Americans?

Who was going to be able to trade with the lucrative
Who was going to be able to trade with the lucrative

Indian subcontinent,
Indian subcontinent,

and who would be the leading power in Europe?
and who would be the leading power in Europe?

So let's dial in a little closer
So let's dial in a little closer

on the North American theater of this war,
on the North American theater of this war,

which will have the most effect
which will have the most effect

on the future United States.
on the future United States.

Alright, so here is map of territorial claims
Alright, so here is map of territorial claims

by European powers
by European powers

in North America before the Seven Years' War.
in North America before the Seven Years' War.

Now you can see that there are some places
Now you can see that there are some places

where they overlap,
where they overlap,

which is really gonna be the heart of the problem
which is really gonna be the heart of the problem

in this conflict.
in this conflict.

So England, shown here in red,
So England, shown here in red,

I'm gonna outline it a bit,
I'm gonna outline it a bit,

was, as you know from your early American history,
was, as you know from your early American history,

here along the eastern seaboard
here along the eastern seaboard

of what's today the United States,
of what's today the United States,

and also up into Canada.
and also up into Canada.

France claimed this interior region of Canada
France claimed this interior region of Canada

and today of the territorial United States,
and today of the territorial United States,

and Spain was in the mix here.
and Spain was in the mix here.

Remember Spain has still been a fairly influential
Remember Spain has still been a fairly influential

colonial power in Florida
colonial power in Florida

and in contemporary Mexico,
and in contemporary Mexico,

and also down here in Cuba and South America.
and also down here in Cuba and South America.

Alright, so we've got three major European powers
Alright, so we've got three major European powers

in the mix here in North America,
in the mix here in North America,

England, France,
England, France,

and Spain,
and Spain,

but what this map doesn't show is
but what this map doesn't show is

the American Indian powers,
the American Indian powers,

who are also in this area.
who are also in this area.

So most of this region really west
So most of this region really west

of the Appalachian mountains,
of the Appalachian mountains,

is Indian country,
is Indian country,

and the majority of inhabitants were Native Americans,
and the majority of inhabitants were Native Americans,

and they really held the majority of power
and they really held the majority of power

in this region as well.
in this region as well.

So major Native American groups that are in play
So major Native American groups that are in play

in this conflict are Iroquois Confederacy,
in this conflict are Iroquois Confederacy,

and also Cherokees,
and also Cherokees,

Hurons,
Hurons,

Algonquians,
Algonquians,

Abenakis,
Abenakis,

and Mi'kmaqs,
and Mi'kmaqs,

and that's just a small sampling.
and that's just a small sampling.

So you can see that there are a number
So you can see that there are a number

of important Native American tribes
of important Native American tribes

who are specifically in this area of Canada,
who are specifically in this area of Canada,

which is disputed,
which is disputed,

and also moving in
and also moving in

the greater Appalachian region.
the greater Appalachian region.

So what does each of these groups want?
So what does each of these groups want?

Well, England definitely wants territory.
Well, England definitely wants territory.

They want to make sure that they're English settlers
They want to make sure that they're English settlers

along the eastern seaboard,
along the eastern seaboard,

whom we'll soon be calling Americans,
whom we'll soon be calling Americans,

have room to expand.
have room to expand.

The French wanna make sure that they still
The French wanna make sure that they still

have access to trade with Native Americans
have access to trade with Native Americans

because their main concern is fur,
because their main concern is fur,

which is a very valuable commodity in Europe,
which is a very valuable commodity in Europe,

and Spain wants to make sure that they
and Spain wants to make sure that they

have access to their sugar islands
have access to their sugar islands

and also their precious metals
and also their precious metals

in the Caribbean
in the Caribbean

and in South America.
and in South America.

Now it's worth noting,
Now it's worth noting,

'cause I think this is really interesting to students
'cause I think this is really interesting to students

of American history,
of American history,

that all of this territory,
that all of this territory,

all of North America,
all of North America,

was way less valuable than all of this territory
was way less valuable than all of this territory

because we're not talking about just value in land.
because we're not talking about just value in land.

We're talking about value in commodities,
We're talking about value in commodities,

and what the Caribbean had was sugar,
and what the Caribbean had was sugar,

and sugar is the most valuable crop
and sugar is the most valuable crop

in this time period.
in this time period.

So a tiny island down here in the Bahamas
So a tiny island down here in the Bahamas

is probably worth more to a European power
is probably worth more to a European power

than the entire interior of North America,
than the entire interior of North America,

and what do these Native American groups want?
and what do these Native American groups want?

Well, some of them want help with revenge
Well, some of them want help with revenge

on each other.
on each other.

Many other smaller Native American groups
Many other smaller Native American groups

have been displaced by the Iroquois,
have been displaced by the Iroquois,

who are here
who are here

in upstate New York, kind of Quebec region.
in upstate New York, kind of Quebec region.

So the Iroquois is actually expanding
So the Iroquois is actually expanding

and really defending their claim
and really defending their claim

as the largest Native American empire,
as the largest Native American empire,

but the other thing that they want
but the other thing that they want

is to make sure that their territory
is to make sure that their territory

is no longer encroached upon
is no longer encroached upon

by English settlers in particular.
by English settlers in particular.

Now one mistake I see early students
Now one mistake I see early students

of U.S. history making is thinking that
of U.S. history making is thinking that

all Native Americans kind of shared
all Native Americans kind of shared

a cultural and political bond, right?
a cultural and political bond, right?

That they saw themselves as one larger people
That they saw themselves as one larger people

who had to unite against the encroachment of Europeans,
who had to unite against the encroachment of Europeans,

and that was definitely not the case.
and that was definitely not the case.

Native Americans had been living in this territory
Native Americans had been living in this territory

for thousands of years,
for thousands of years,

and they had enemies and beef
and they had enemies and beef

with other groups that went back
with other groups that went back

way longer than the arrival of Europeans in North America.
way longer than the arrival of Europeans in North America.

So when nations like England and France
So when nations like England and France

arrived with their weapons and their trade goods,
arrived with their weapons and their trade goods,

the American Indians didn't look at each other
the American Indians didn't look at each other

and say, "Oh wait, now we're all one race.
and say, "Oh wait, now we're all one race.

"We need to join together against
"We need to join together against

"the encroachment of whites."
"the encroachment of whites."

They saw England and France and Spain
They saw England and France and Spain

as possible avenues to getting one up
as possible avenues to getting one up

on their older enemies.
on their older enemies.

So when an English trader sold a gun
So when an English trader sold a gun

to, say, a Huron,
to, say, a Huron,

he was way more likely
he was way more likely

to go after, say,
to go after, say,

the Iroquois with that gun than he was
the Iroquois with that gun than he was

to go after a French trader.
to go after a French trader.

So another reason why
So another reason why

the Seven Years' War is a better name
the Seven Years' War is a better name

for the French and Indian War
for the French and Indian War

than French and Indian War is because
than French and Indian War is because

these Native American groups did not ally
these Native American groups did not ally

all with France.
all with France.

In fact, the Iroquois and Cherokee
In fact, the Iroquois and Cherokee

ended up allied with England,
ended up allied with England,

and most of the other Native American groups
and most of the other Native American groups

ended up allied with France,
ended up allied with France,

but they were fighting each other
but they were fighting each other

in addition to fighting England.
in addition to fighting England.

Alright, so the stage is set for this conflict
Alright, so the stage is set for this conflict

with all of these competing groups
with all of these competing groups

in this unclear territory,
in this unclear territory,

and how this turns into a war,
and how this turns into a war,

we'll get to in the next video.
we'll get to in the next video.